Orange Streusel Cake

Streusel:

½ cup flour

½ cup packed light brown sugar

¼ tsp salt

4 Tbsp butter, melted

½ cup sliced almonds

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Skeletons in the Closet!

The term ‘skeleton in the closet’ refers to a deep, dark, mortifying secret from a person’s past that they hope will never be discovered. However, since the skeleton is located in such close proximity – secreted within the closet in the house – it’s imminent, accidental discovery is actually rather likely.

There are many husbands and wives who may have old ‘skeletons’ in their closets, although they have now reformed their ways and are currently leading clean lives. Perhaps they were involved in an illicit relationship in their teens or at some other point before their marriage, or perhaps they had other unsavoury habits that they prefer remain buried in the past. In many cases, if these skeletons had to surface, they could completely destroy the marriage and even a person’s reputation and dignity in society. In this regard, there are a few things that we should bear in mind.

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Mutton and Peppadew Stew with Couscous

Ingredients:

700g cubed mutton leg/shoulder

3 tsp crushed garlic

1 tsp chilli

½ tsp dhana jeero

½ tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

1 tsp thyme

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Maintaining Moderation in Upbringing #2

(Advice of ‘Allaamah ‘Abdul Wahhaab Sha’raani [rahimahullah])

My esteemed senior, ‘Ali Al-Khawaas (rahimahullah) would mention:

“Beware of speaking gently and displaying leniency with your children when they (tantrum or) have a fit of temper, as this will ruin their character and encourage them to continue defying you in the future. Instead, make them aware of their wrongs, and remind them of the punishment which Allah Ta‘ala has prepared for those who engage in these sins.

Beware of swearing your children or insulting them using indecent or vulgar language, as this will cause them to learn these words and then use them when speaking to their friends, and even when speaking to you!

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Together or Apart?

With the fast-paced lifestyle of our era, people are almost always in a hurry. Whether it is rushing for school, rushing to work, rushing to buy groceries or rushing for salaah, most people are perpetually on the move.

The effect of this fast-paced lifestyle can be seen in the home as well, where despite the members of the household living under the same roof, it is commonly witnessed that many of them actually spend very little time together. In fact, it is not unheard of for some household members to only meet each other once in the entire day!

Naturally, this is unhealthy for the family unit, as family time is essential for the family to be able to bond with one another. In the absence of family time, the household members may have just a few meters separating them, but their hearts will be kilometers apart. Hence, it is not surprising to hear of incidents where brothers fight with one another and even take each other to court, or children abandon their parents and dump them in old-age homes. The reason is clear – their hearts never bonded and developed love for one another.

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